Means for applying a load to a structure



Dec. 9, 1969 c. c. TOYNE MEANS FOR APPLYING A LOAD TO A STRUCTURE Filed April 22. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R I l I l I I l I l l l l l l I I l l I l I I I I 1 l l I l l I I I l 1 l I I I I l I l I l I v n llwlm Q Ag 3 Q A w M9 Q 59m $3 l: m w

INVENTOR: CL/FFokb 6'. 751015 Amway:

Dec. 9, 1969 c. c. TOYNE MEANS FOR APPLYING A LOAD TO A STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1968 MD ww INVENTOR: C'L/F'Fokb C. Time A 'r m2 M616 United States Patent 3,482,438 MEANS FOR APPLYING A LOAD TO A STRUCTURE Clitrord C. Toyne, 8 Regal Way, Kenton, Harrow, Middlesex, England Filed Apr. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 723,190 Int. Cl. G011] 3/08 US. CI. 73-94 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Support carries a lever and means, such as hydraulic ram, for applying force to lever tending to rotate it. Lever carries member, such as a platen, which may be adjustably positioned with respect to lever, and which is adapted to press against structure to be loaded.

This invention relates to means for applying a load to structure such as the load-carrying part .of a commercial vehicle for test purposes.

It is often required when carrying out, for example, braking tests on a vehicle to simulate a load applied to the vehicle. In view of the fact that many brake tests are carried out with the vehicle stationary, this has presented many difliculties.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for applying such a load, the construction and use of which are simple and efficient.

Thus, according to the present invention a means for applying a load to a structure includes a supporting member to which is pivotally attached a lever arm, whereby a load applied to a part of said lever arm is arranged to be transferred partly to said supporting member and partly to a further part of said lever arm, the latter being arranged, in use, to cause said latter part of said load to be applied to said structure.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to one practical form thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a device made in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view.

Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a supporting member generally indicated at 10 adapted to lie on a fiat surface and be rigidly anchored thereto by means of a T-bar anchor 1021. As shown in FIG. 1, the T-bar anchor 10a is adapted to be located in a channel 10b which is so arranged as to allow adjustment of the operative position of the device as a whole relative to a structure to which a load is to be applied. The member. 10 consists basically of a chassis 11 having wheels 12. Attached to the chassis 11 is an upstanding pillar 13, a hydraulic ram 14 and associated mechanisms 14a.

Pivotally mounted at 13a on the free end of the pillar 13 is a lever arm one end of which is attached to'the ram 14 for movement thereby about the pivot point 13a. The other end of the lever arm 15 has pivotally attached thereto a yoke 16 extending at right angles to the lever arm 15. Thus the yoke 16 is adapted to pivot in a plane normal to that of the movement of the lever arm 15.

Each end of the yoke 16 carries a platen 17 which is so mounted that it is capable of pivotal, sliding androtating movement, that is to say, it is movable universally about the yoke 16 and is slidable along the latter. Such connection is by, for example, a ball and socket attached to a sliding sleeve. The platens 17 each consist of a rigid framework 17a and a resilient and flexible pad 17b. The

pad 17b is conveniently of foamed rubber or plastics material.

In use therefore, the supporting member 10. is located adjacent, for example, the rear of a commercial vehicle in such a manner that the platens 17 are situated above a surface to which a load is to be applied. The hydraulic ram 14 is actuated thus causing the lever arm 15 to pivot about the point 13a. By virtue of the anchor 10a located in the channel 10b, therefore, the platens are caused to press down upon the vehicle.

It will be appreciated that the movability of the yoke 16 and the platens 17 relative to the lever arm 15 allows the load to be applied vertically downwardly onto inclined surfaces or onto parallel surfaces having different levels. In addition, the resilient and flexible nature of the pads 17b allows for any relative movement between the platens 17 and the surface of the structure.

A gauge and operating mechanism are associated with the hydraulic ram and are located on the supporting memher.

The invention is not restricted to the details heretofore described. For example, the hydraulic ram can be replaced by an equivalent pneumatic mechanism or by any other suitable lifting device, or alternatively there may be provided in place of the latter a similar means adapted to pull downwardly on a part of the lever arm 15 in the central region thereof. In this case, the latter is pivotally mounted on the supporting member 10, not at the point 13a but at the end of the lever arm 15 remote from the platens 17.

Although the device is illustrated having wheels at one end only of the chassis, there may be provided a removable dolly as illustrated at D which can be applied to the other end of the chassis for the purpose of transportatron.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for applying a load downwardly onto a vehicle during testing, comprising a transportable chassis, a supporting member mounted thereon, a lever arm pivotally mounted on said supporting member, platens mounted on said lever arm remote from said supporting member and over an area adapted to be occupied by a vehicle during testing, means for applying a load to a part of said lever arm remote from said supporting member and said platens for transmitting said applied load downwardly onto a vehicle, said platens being movable relative to said lever arm, and means for anchoring said chassis to the ground.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said supporting member consists of a pillar mounted on said chassis.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said load applying means consists of a hydraulic arm adapted to act upon said lever arm at one end thereof which is thus caused to pivot about said pillar.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which a yoke is pivotally attached to said lever arm remote from said supporting member and said load applying means, yoke having said platens pivotally and slidably attached thereto, whereby said load is capable of being applied to inclined vehicle surfaces or to vehicle surfaces having different levels.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said platens each comprise a rigid framework having a resilient pad attached thereto, said pads, in use, allowing for any relative movement between the platens and the structure to which the load is to be applied.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said supporting member consists of a pillar mounted on a chassis, said load applying means comprising a hydraulic ram 3 adapted to act upon said lever arm in the central region thereof.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said chassis is provided with an assembly of wheels for the purpose of transportation.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said anchoring means comprises a T-bar anchor movable on said chassis and adapted to anchor said chassis to locating means in the ground.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a gauge associated with said load-applying means for indicating the amount of load being applied to the vehicle.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JERRY W. MYRACLE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

